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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: nail · prune · cue · lean · suit · dip · bear · wave

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. cue — a hint
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. suit — clothes
  5. cue — a signal
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lean — to bend
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. prune — to trim
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. prune — to trim
  13. lean — thin
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. suit — in cards
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cue — for pool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. prune — the fruit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com